A LIVERPOOL FC fan from Garston has been banned from every football ground in the country after being caught ticket touting.

Jordan Daniel Ireland, aged 20, of Garfourth Close, was also given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, a two-month curfew, 180 hours community work and ordered to pay £345 compensation.

The court order bans Ireland from being in possession of any football match tickets for the next five years, from entering the area around Anfield football stadium at specific times, or from travelling to any town or city where Liverpool FC are playing.

He must also surrender his passport to police whenever LFC or England play abroad.

Ireland was accused of selling tickets for a Manchester United versus Manchester City fixture last April to a 20-year-old man in Knutsfrod, Cheshire, who paid £345 for tickets which he never received.

Officers from Merseyside Police's football intelligence unit, along with detectives at St Anne Street CID, conducted an investigation, supported by the banking industry and LFC, and identified Ireland as the culprit and arrested him.

Chief Superintendent Dave Lewis, the Force football match commander, said: "Not only is ticket fraud like this illegal, it often brings great disappointment to the victims who thought they had bought valid tickets with their hard-earned money.

"We will continue to pursue those who seek to profit from innocent football supporters by committing fraud and other offences."